Offering Child Care Providers The Support They Need to Help Children Thrive

July 23, 2019.Reading time 5 minutes.

Whether they work at a center, are based at home, are informal caregivers, or are in a preschool classroom, King County’s child care providers are dedicated to the healthy development and school readiness of all the children in their care. The Child Care Health Consultation program offers free consultation with public health nurses and other specialists in health education and child development. Building upon Public Health’s Child Care Health Consultation program, Best Starts for Kids expanded services. In 2018, more than 500 child care providers and caregivers participated thanks to Best Starts funding. Learn more about this amazing strength-based resource.

Calling all parents and caregivers with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, or elementary schoolers! Best Starts for Kids Health Survey now open

July 17, 2019.Reading time 3 minutes.

Parenting is hard work, and it is our hope that learning about your experiences as a parent, child’s health, family strengths, and community supports will help Best Starts for Kids build on strengths and meet needs for families across King County.

Connecting Families to Services: Help Me Grow Is Happening!

March 26, 2019.Reading time 9 minutes.

Help Me Grow connects families and caregivers with kids under age five to community-based programs and services, simplifying how families and caregivers move between systems of care and promoting healthy child development for all children, families and caregivers.

Every body can play! Easy ways to say “yes!” to kids with disabilities

January 15, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

Whether they meet at the playground or on the soccer field, kids exude joy when they play together. But for many families that include a child with a disability, this simple joy can be hard to reach.

What we love about 2018

December 21, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

We’re nearing the end of 2018, and that means it’s time to look back at our department’s hard work with partners throughout the year for a healthier community. Just a few things that made us proud this year Protecting family planning: Our Family Planning program successfully defended key programs threatened by federal policy changes. Addressing […]

New school health centers promote “whole child” approach

May 25, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

School-based health centers are improving health (and academics) for youth at more than 30 schools in King County – and this year, the number of schools participating is expanding, through Best Starts for Kids. The centers bring medical and mental health services right where it’s easiest for students to access – in clinics that are […]